Re: Economic info:organic livestock

Greg and Lei Gunthorp (hey4hogs@kuntrynet.com)
Wed, 22 Apr 98 15:27:15 PDT

Organic Valley(CROPP Cooperative) is an organic livestock cooperative. They have been
very cooperative with me on sharing information on their organic egg cooperative.
My hog farm isn't organic(I don't feed organic grains) but I have some economic data on the
American Farmland Trust's grassfarmer web page.
Sustainable livestock production(pasture based) costs of production should be at least as low and in most all situations lower than conventional production. I'll leave the generalazations on organic to someone with more knowledge than me. In my situation, I think it would add at least $40 per pig in the difference in value of the grains used for feed. 10 bushels of corn at $2 premium and 60-125 pounds of soybeans at $10/bushel. Thats assuming production levels without parasite control stays the same.
I could give you some solid economic differences if I knew of an organic hog market. I would raise some if I had a market.
Best wishes,
Greg
Gunthorp's Pasture-ized Pork
LaGrange, Indiana (a stones throw from Ohio & Michigan)
hey4hogs@kuntrynet.com
Visit our farm at www.grassfarmer.com

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> Can anyone help me locate sources of economic info relating to
> organic or sustainable livestock ( beef and dairy cattle,
> poultry, swine, and small ruminants enterprises?
>
> I am looking for just about anything on economic comparisons with
> conventional enterprises, budgets, production costs, and profitability.
>
> Related info, such as differences in quantity, quality, and rates of
> production, mortality, etc., between organic and conventional systems
> would be welcome too. Also, information on costs and returns to on-farm
> feed and forage production and economic contributions of the livestock to
> the whole farm would be great to have.
>
> I have seen the Ontario study on organic dairying, but that's about
> all I've found so far. Any references, citations,and/or personal
> experiences in these areas that you can identify would surely be
> appreciated. Thanks to all!
> Holly Born, Technical Specialist
> ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas)
> (501) 442-9824, 1-800-346-9140
> Fax:(501) 442-9842 E-mail:hollyb@ncatark.uark.edu
> Web:http://www.attra.org
>
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